Colonial America Syllabus

Teacher: Ms. Farley
Office: Room 110
Office Phone: (207) 323-3220
Office Hours:
3-4 Monday-Thursday
E-mail: emily.farley@maine.edu

Summary of Unit

Establish Goals: (G)
Maine Learning Results: Social Studies
E. History
E1 Historical knowledge, concepts, themes, and patterns
Grade 9-Diploma "Colonial Era 1500-1754"
Students understand major eras, major enduring themes and historic influences in the United States and World history including the roots of democratic philosophy, ideals and institutions in the World.
b. Analyze and critique major historical eras, major enduring themes, turning points, events, consequences, and people in the history of the United States and the world and the implications for the present and the future.

What understandings are desired?



Students will understand that: (U)

• People of the colonial era can relate to people of the present and possibly future.
•Some of the prejudices of the colonial era are still evident in todays society.
• The societal structure of the colonial era can relate to the societal structure of today in the United States.

What essential questions will be considered?

Essential Questions: (Q)
• How do the people of the colonial era relate to the people in today's society?
• Why are the prejudices of the colonial era still evident in today's society?
• How is today's structure of society similar to the societal structure of the colonial era?

What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?












Students will know: (K)
Students will be able to do: (S)
•Vocabulary: Mayflower Compact, Jamestown, Starving Time,
Navigation Acts of 1663, Plymouth
•Important Events and People: Puritans, Squanto,
John Winthrop, Anne Hutchinson, King Phillips War,
Salem Witch Trials
• The differences and similarities between the different colonies
•Justify the similarities and differences between Colonial life and life today.
•Critique the values and ideals of the Colonial people
•Build a model of the Colonial era and Colonial life in particular
• b. analyze historical eras, themes, turning points, events, people in history of US and world and implications for present and future
• Relate their lives to the people of the Colonial era.
•Be aware of the ideals and values that still exist is the US and were present in the Colonial era.

Performance Task (Summary in G.R.A.S.P.S. form): (T)
Goal: Students will build a model of Colonial life including what people did, clothing, work, government, communities, and other important aspects.They will show a complete understanding of Colonial life.
Role: Students will take on the role of a travel agent of the future who is helping people prepare for going back in time to the Colonial era.
Audience: The Audience is the rich clients who want to go back in time to the Colonial era. Bill Gates is the richest prospective client so it is very important that you convince him to go.
Situation: The year is 3008 in the United States.
Product/Presentation: Working in pairs, students will design a wiki demonstrating Colonial life.
Standards (criteria from both rubrics):Wiki- learning of material, interest, content, layout, images, work ethic
presentation: content, comprehension, stays on topic, preparedness

Expectations:

This course is about the Colonial era. Students are expected to be present and on time to class everyday. If you need to miss a class due to being ill or an emergency it is your responsibility to come meet with me and go over the material you missed in class.

Assignments should be complete and ready to be handed in at the beginning of class. Late assignments result in the loss of a letter grade for every day it is late. (An A would go to a A- and so forth). Assignments should meet the criteria of the rubric or checklist given for the particular assignment. If you do not understand something I am available often and would be happy to assist you in any way. If at any point you believe I am being unfair or disrespecting you please feel free to meet with me and we can discuss the matter appropriately.

Benchmarks

Listed below are the assignments you will complete throughout this unit and the point value for each of them. Total points you can earn is 200.

Performance Task- (60 points) Understandings 1,2,3

Students will complete a final performance task at the end of the unit to demonstrate their understandings of the Colonial era unit. Students will also be asked to do a blog about Colonial life for a homework assignment which will count as part of the performance task.
Attendance and participation-(30 points)
Students are expected to attend class if the student does not have an excused absence. If the student has an excused absence it is their job to find the teacher to make up the work that was missed.
Quizzes- (10 points)
Students will do two quizzes throughout the unit. Each quiz will consist of five questions over basic and broad concepts that have recently been discussed.

Journalism Blog- (15 points)
Students will do a blog in which they study the ideals and values of the Colonial people and write a blog about them as a journalist going back in time to the Colonial era.

Poetry Reaction Blog- (15 points)
Students will read a poem provided by the teacher either by a person from the Colonial era or a poem about the Colonial era and write a blog in reaction to the poem.

Webquest (Inspiration Map)- (30 points)
Students will do a webquest about the Colonial era which deals with comparing the students lives to the lives of the Colonial people. The finished product of this webquest is an Inspiration map which compares and contrast the people of the Colonial era to the people of today.

Commercial- (25 points)
Students will take a product which was commonly used in the Colonial era and the same product today that has the same use and think of what the product will look like in the future. The students will create a commercial using i-movie and show the commercial to the class.

IM discussion- (15 points)
Students will do an instant message debate or conversation about the prejudices that existed in the Colonial era and the prejudices that exist today. Are they the same or different?

Grading Scale

A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), F (59-0).